


You don’t know me

by kuraikon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Feels, Gen, Keith has issues, blade!Keith, keith is angry at krolia, lance is a good person, mentions of Keith being ill treated as a kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 15:11:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14896907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuraikon/pseuds/kuraikon
Summary: Krolia is angry at the way things have fallen for Keith.Keith is just angry.





	You don’t know me

**Author's Note:**

> Gdi I’ve had this vague scene in my head since the end of season 5 of Krolia trying to step into Keith’s life but not taking into account how much her leaving has affected Keith. It’s not quite how I would want it but which season 6 looming (eeeeeee!) it will do. I want Keith to be angry at Krolia damnit!

Allura eyed the angry Galran woman warily. Krolia had not yet raised her voice at the Paladins but her body language screamed danger to Allura and Coran. Her eyes were narrowed and her knees bent slightly as if ready to pounce, the fur of her arms was standing upright and her ears flickered down occasionally giving Allura the impression she was trying to keep them upright but failing. The other Paladins, though not trained in the finer Galran behaviour signals, seemed to have caught on to the Alteans discomfort as they stayed standing in the hanger, arms crossed or on their hips as they waited for Krolia to stop talking. Kolivan stood impassively to the side with Antok next to him, the latter only giving away his emotion from the flicking of his tail. 

Keith was the only one sat down, back against Red’s paw. His emotion was always easy to read for Allura and right now she could see he was overwhelmed.

“I understand your concerns.” Allura soothed when Krolia stopped talking. “But leaving Voltron was Keith’s choice. As was joining the Blade. A choice I hear has not done him wrong, for Kolivan has said many times Keith has exceeded expectations.” She smiled in Keith’s direction but he didn’t take his gaze off his mother. 

“It is true, Krolia.” Kolivan said, Antok shifting his feet as Krolia’s eyes darted towards them. “Keith has accustomed to the Blade life well.”

Krolia’s upper lip curled, flashing a fang. “Do not get me started on you, Kolivan. Keith is barely an adult by human years, let alone Galran. He should not have been allowed to compete in the trails in the first place.”

“But he was. And he did. Knowing the outcomes.”

“Knowledge or death.” Krolia mocked at him. “We will discuss that later. Right now,” she continued, turning back to the Paladins, “I have ‘Legendary Defender’ fish to fry.”

“I do not know what fish are.” Allura said.

“Regardless,” Shiro cut in, “We didn’t force Keith to leave; we wanted him to stay.”

“Not enough to do anything about it!” Krolia snapped. “I’ve read his files - made into the Black Paladin when he didn’t want it, forced to stay as it once the original was back rather than returning to his Red post and having his leadership judged because he wasn’t as good as the first Black Paladin, having his request to give back the mantle denied, running away to the Blade and risking his life to draw himself away from these things and still having his team angry at him, and still ready to commit suicide to save you all.” 

The human Paladins flinched physically at the mention of Keith’s (thankfully) thwarted plan. Allura stayed still, face hard as she stared down Krolia. 

Eventually Coran spoke, slow and gentle. “You say these things as if they were planned.” He shook his head. “War forces us all into positions we do not want to be in.”

Huffing, Krolia placed her hands on her hips. “Well I’m putting a stop to it. War be damned. Keith will not play soldier anymore to the Blade nor the Altean Princess.”

Pidge let out a strangled noise. “You can’t stop Keith from doing anything!” The Green Paladin didn’t balk at the glare Krolia shot at her. “You’ve got no quiznarking right.”

“I’m his mother. I have every right!”

“No.” Every head in the room snapped to Keith as he stood up and shook out his legs. “No you don’t.” 

Krolia’s eyes softened as Keith walked closer to the group. “Keith, please, listen to me. This is no life to live. I know you cannot want this.”

Keith’s eyes flashed yellow at Krolia and he frowned. “You know do you? How do you know what I want? You don’t know me.” The female Galran opened her mouth to argue but Keith continued. “What’s my favourite food?”

Her mouth snapped shut. “What?”

Keith shrugged. “You know what I want so you must know me better than I think you do. What’s my favourite food?” Silence rang out. “Takashi?”

Shiro hesitated. “Pasta. You like spaghetti.”

“How about my favourite class at the Garrison?” He waited a beat. “Takashi?”

“...history.”

“Which is my dominate hand?” He continued, not taking his eyes of Krolia who tightened her lips. “Leader?”

Kolivan sighed. “You’re ambidextrous. Keith...”

“What am I allergic to?” Keith rolled on, voice louder. “Hunk?”

“Um, you’re lactose intolerant.”

“Keith...” Allura tried but was cut off.

“When did I make my first Galran nest? Antok?”

The tall Galran flicked his tail in agitation. “About a pheob ago? I taught you.”

“Too hard maybe? Let’s try some easier questions.” Keith said, sure by now his voice was sounding strained. “What did I name the cat that hung around the cabin? How old was I when my dad died? How many days was I alone before someone found me? How many fostering homes have I been in and out of? How many times did I go to the emergency room from ‘accidents’ at the adoption centres?”

Shiro stepped forwards as Keith’s voice cracked. “Keith, stop.”

But Keith’s eyes stared locked on Krolia. “When did I teach myself how to fight? How many times did I run away from homes and go hungry on the streets?! How old was I when I realised that no one was coming for me and I would have to make a life on my own?!”

Shiro’s hand curled around the back of Keith’s neck. “Please, Keith stop. Please.”

Breathing hard, Keith closed his eyes. When he opened them Krolia hadn’t moved an inch. 

“I have no problem with you being in my life.” Keith said quietly. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted. But you can’t come strolling in and expect to mother me. You gave up every right to make decisions in my life when you gave me up.” The room stayed silent and still until Keith sighed hard and rubbed away the moisture forming in his eyes. “Leader?”

“Yes kit?”

“Permission to leave the hanger.”

Kolivan hesitated a tic before tilting his head. “...granted.”

Shiro squeezed his nape before dropping his hand and allowing Keith to leave.

 

-

 

Sitting in his old room, Keith glanced at the door when it opened before looking back down at his blade. “Don’t, Lance. I know what you’re going to say.” 

Lance walked across the room and sprawled himself heavily over Keith’s bed. “Do you?”

Keith shrugged. “I know you miss your family and you’d do anything to see them again. It must seem awful to you that I can say that stuff to her and risk this opportunity.”

“Hunk would say that.” Lance hummed to himself. “And Allura. Probably Pidge too.” Silence stretched for a long moment. “I think you were right to do what you did.”

Almost dropping his dagger, keith turned to state at Lance. “What? Really? But...”

Lance sighed and propped himself up on his elbows. “I miss my mama, yeah. And my brothers and my sister and everyone. I don’t know if you know but my dad walked out in us about a year before I started at the Garrison.”

“I- no. I didn’t know.”

“Yeah. It was pretty bad. My brother was still young and it was hard on all of us. I think a lot about what I would say if he came back into my life.” He sat up fully and shifted so that he and Keith were thigh-to-thigh. “Sometimes I think I would welcome him back with open arms because he was a good dad before and I miss him. And sometimes I think I would punch him for my mama. I would probably do neither and would just be pretty awkward. I don’t think I would have the courage to call him out like you just did to your mother.”

Keith stayed silent, staring at Lance. Frowning and wondering if he had said something wrong, Lance rubbed the back of his head. 

“I know it’s not the same or anything and I know that a load of what Krolia said was true about what you’ve had to go through while we’ve been Paladins but-“

Lance cut off and squeaked loudly as Keith suddenly twisted and threw his arms around Lance’s neck.

“Ohmygosh. Keith... what... what?!”

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Keith let out a small chuff. “Shut up Lance. Just let it happen ok?”

Lance relaxed and curled his arms around Keith, holding him tightly. 

“...Pidge And Hunk are gonna be so jealous that you hugged me willingly.”

“Damn it Lance, don’t ruin it.”

“Right, we’re having a moment. Sorry, sorry.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I love krolia don’t get me wrong! But actions have repercussions and I want to see Keith angry at her and not instantly forgiving. I’m excited that it looks like Keith is returning to the team! But I also love Blade!Keith so this makes me sad.


End file.
